By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has made mental health a basic human right by signing the Kaduna State Mental Health Law, which replaces the obsolete Lunacy Act of 1958.
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, disclosed this on Friday while delivering a keynote address at a public lecture to mark the 2025 World Mental Health Day, organized by the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kaduna.
Dr. Balarabe explained that the new law, enacted on September 18, 2025, protects citizens living with mental health conditions against discrimination and guarantees their access to quality care, dignity, and inclusion.
She noted that Governor Sani has also transformed the former Bureau for Substance Abuse into the Kaduna State Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (KADSAMHSA) to coordinate care for mental, neurological, and substance use disorders in a unified and humane system.
“This is not only an administrative reform; it is a moral statement,” the Deputy Governor said.
According to her, the state has trained and graduated the first cohort of 100 clinicians, doctors, nurses, and pharmacists from 10 general hospitals under the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme.
“With this policy initiative, care has moved from isolation to integration, from centralization to community, and from exclusion to inclusion,” she stated.
Dr. Balarabe recalled that in 2024, the state government established a Technical Working Group on Perinatal Mental Health to address the emotional burden associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
“By integrating mental health screening into maternal and child health services, we reached women who might otherwise have suffered in silence. This initiative is saving lives, restoring families, and giving voice to many who once felt invisible,” she said.
She commended the synergy among KADSAMHSA, the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, the Ministry of Health, and the State Primary Health Care Board, describing it as a model partnership that proves “progress is possible when policy, professionalism, and compassion move in the same direction.”
Dr. Balarabe revealed that the state plans to extend mental health services to all 30 general hospitals and every ward-level primary health centre, including 23 designated Centres of Excellence.
“We are also working with KADCHMA to make mental health care covered and affordable under the Contributory Health Scheme,” she added.
The Deputy Governor lauded Dr. Aisha Yushau Armiyau, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, for her leadership and professionalism, describing her as “a shining example of excellence and a role model for women professionals.”
She also commended Dr. Joe Ike, the Director-General of KADSAMHSA, for his purposeful leadership and commitment to advancing compassionate mental health services in the state.
